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hh_mirrorUltimecia gives Ryuuji the Seven Sennen Items. All Hell is probably going to break loose, because as this, this and this explain, they're not just ugly gold things. Ignore the table in the third link, that only applies for that RP.
Seven Items.
Seven Sennen Items.
He had all seven of the Seven Sennen Items.
All of them. All golden and shiny and powerful and still active and his.
Not anyone else's - not Yami no Malik's, not Yami no Bakura's, not the Pharaoh's, but his. And his father was dead, and his father was the one that had wanted the Puzzle originally and trained him in magic to be able to use it, and the Puzzle was empty of the spirit inside it and-
Ryuuji buried his face in a pillow and howled with laughter, shock starting to crash down on him and replace his earlier calm. The Items lay on the bed around him, the gamer sitting cross-legged with the Puzzle in his lap, the Ring around his neck, the Rod in front of him, the Torque and Key to the left of him and the Ankh and Eye to the right.
His. Ryuuji's. The one person who hadn't wanted them for their power but for someone else. The one person who wanted to get only the Puzzle to give away. The one that didn't want to rule the world or destroy it, the person with the least use for the Sennen Items.
And he had ALL of them!
Oh, this was too much. Rocking back and forth, laughing so hard that his sides ached and screamed with pain, Ryuuji stayed like that for a long, long time, unable to contain his mirth at this situation. Yami no Bakura had spent how long trying to get the Items? Three thousand years? And killed how many people and taken part in how many duels? Not to mention Yami no Malik and all the mental torture he had inflicted on people while on the path to getting the Items.
99 people had died to make the Sennen Items, the golden objects created from their flesh, blood and bone.
And they were his. Ryuuji's. And he hadn't done anything but ask for them!
It took a long, long time for him to calm down enough to send Seto an owl asking the other boy to return to his room.
Nothing like an insanely powerful magic Item as a peace offering, after all. And Seto was more trustworthy than most people. He deserved an Item with all he'd been through and it would give him an instant way to defend himself and Mokuba while he still learnt wizarding magic.
The owl said just to return--not why. Still feeling rather nonchalant, Seto simply did as the note attached to the owl requested. With a quick mention of the password, Seto was inside Ryuuji's room, eyes fairly vacant.
All he offered--voice rather hollow--was a "Yes?" to let Ryuuji know he was there. He stood beside the bed, arms crossed, eyes focused on Ryuuji, and nothing else was said.
Ryuuji had known the instant that Seto stepped into the room, wards alerting him to the other's presence. Keeping his face buried in the pillow, he made himself breathe in and out deeply, trying to calm himself down. In. Out. In. Out.
And that sent his mind into the gutter, sparking another fit of laughter.
Quelling it eventually, he threw the pillow carelessly towards the headboard of the bed, then canted his head at Seto, eyes bright with laughter, "Hey, Seto - want a Sennen Item? You can have any one that you choose."
Giving the Items a brief look of discontentment, Seto's eyes flickered back to Ryuuji as he quickly said, "No."
Those things...belong in the core of the Earth--to be melted to nothing, and gone away from here.
"Is that all you summoned me here for?" Seto asked, voice still blank. Did Ryuuji actually think he wanted one of those things?
"...I didn't summon you here, I asked you here." Ryuuji corrected automatically, the shock of Seto's response cutting cleanly through him and killing the remnants of amusement that had bubbled inside him.
Sitting up completely straight now, knees pulled against his chest and arms wrapped over them, Ryuuji stared at Seto with wide-eyed confusion. The Puzzle was a hard, sharp-edged lump pressing into his stomach and thighs, but he ignored it for the moment in favor of trying to figure out why on earth Seto would refuse to take something beneficial for him.
Except for the fact that it was Seto and Seto tended to be notoriously stupid when it came to his own health. There was always that, after all.
Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Ryuuji asked him in a tone filled with sheer disbelief, "Why don't you want one?"
"Because they should be tossed into the center of the Earth and properly disposed of, and the fact you're offering me one," Seto explained, expression never changing. Why did Ryuuji even want them? Now they were here...where Marik or Bakura could get their hands on them if Ryuuji wasn't careful.
Oh, absolutely perfect.
Yes. They should be distroyed--as soon as possible.
"I don't need one of those cursed things." Doesn't he get what they do to people? How they cause people to become greedy? How if the Item doesn't pick you, it will destroy you, even burn you alive.. Doesn't he know any of that?
"the fact you're offering me one" Seto's words stung, Ryuuji knowing full well that he deserved that but still hating it. He was trying to be nice! He was! He was offering Seto a way to defend himself, even defend himself from Ryuuji if it came to that. He was offering Seto a way to protect Mokuba.
You'd think he'd at least take one for Mokie's sake, to keep him safe.
With a laugh, trying not to sound as hurt as he felt, Ryuuji commented lightly, "Well, I suppose it's somewhat comforting to know that you wouldn't accept them from anyone else. But what do you mean, the Earth's center? That's impossible. And as for not needing one, the school is pretty full of dangerous people, most of whom are experts at some sort of magic or another. If you had a Sennen Item, you'd be able to protect yourself and Mokuba properly."
With a ragged sigh, Seto's voice switched to very firm as he said, "Ryuuji, obviously you don't know a thing about those Items. They're capable of twisting a person, completely. They still hold Zork in them. They're still dangerous, even without spirits inside of them. They are dark and twisted. I doubt I could wear one for long before I stopped caring about Mokuba anyway. They start to make you want power--at any cost."
He licked his lips, finding they burned a bit, then continued on. "And that is assuming the Item doesn't take offense at you claiming it and destroys you. They are very picky, and pratically have minds of their own. Having one to protect Mokuba--or myself with--is not worth the risk I may turn against Mokuba at any given moment. It takes someone with a completely pure mind and heart to wear one of those, and even then Mahaado had to use all of his power to hold back the evil he felt from within the Ring. Thank-you, but no thank-you."
((FUCK! *headdesk* I had Ryuuji wear the Ring and Puzzle in the sorting room.))
[[ Well, it's not like they taint you RIGHT AWAY or anything. It can be as simple as because of his ka level, they didn't take offense. But I wouldn't have someone like Ryuuji wear them for long--ever. >.> We'll end up with DARK FREAKING SCARY LORD Ryuuji otherwise. ]]
Trying to figure out how much he had told Seto as a kid, and how much Seto knew about him now, Ryuuji responded hesitantly, "...Actually, I know quite a bit about the Items. I just don't see how they can drive people to want power like that. Or where the pure heart thing comes from. I don't want to rule the world. I don't want to destroy the world. I don't want to be the most powerful person around. But if the sorceress woman is capable of giving people the Items, I'd rather be the one to have them and guard them than Yami no Malik or Yami no Bakura. I've got the least use for them, so I'm the safest person to guard them."
Head canted to a side, reaching out to run his fingers over the Rod lightly to show that it wasn't hurting him, Ryuuji pointed out, "And I already wore the Puzzle and Ring. Neither of them tried to hurt me. I'm not planning on using them tons or anything, just on making sure that nobody can use them. Except you, since I trust you, but if you're scared of them then I'll just keep all seven of them safe and only use them when I have to."
"I'm not scared of them, I just rightfully don't trust them," Seto replied, annoyance entering into his tone at that accusation. "They may have allowed you to wear them, but that makes them no less likely to twist and taint your mind. You don't need to want to rule the world, or power, Ryuuji, they will simply alter you, slowly."
Seto thought of Pegasus when he said that. Someone who had been quirky, yes, before the Eye...but after had no issue kidnapping people, blackmail and death--things Seto could never remember being tied to the calm gentleman in his younger years.
He knew the damn thing had tainted Pegasus. It was too obvious.
And Bakrua Ryou? The little annoyance. If the Ring hadn't tainted him--why did he constantly keep it with him? Why did he keep going back for it when it was tossed away?
And Malik? Best not to even start on that one.
Isis and Yuugi seemed the only two people never tainted by them, sans Pharaoh. He had been tainted, obviously.
And of course...Set. Set was a huge sore spot for Seto, so he just avoided them entirely. Perhaps Set was safe after the BEWD became his ka and he led Egypt...changed drastically, but before.... Seto didn't want to fall into traps laid by those golden instruments of death.
"Just...don't wear them for long. And don't let Yami Bakura and Yami Marik know they're here. They would do anything to get them back. Then what would happen?"
"...I start turning down offers to duel? I mean, they need to win them from me to make them work, so just stealing them wouldn't be enough." Pulling a face as he thought a little more about it, Ryuuji added reluctantly, "But I guess they could always resort to kidnapping like they did back in our world. Taking you or Mokuba or Mai or Nightwing to try to force me to accept a match."
Cue a sigh, Ryuuji pouting a little as he touched the Ring that hung around his head, lifting the cord up and letting the pointers jangle against each other as he uncurled and laid it on the Puzzle. Shifting both of the Items to the side so that they were no longer touching him, he offered Seto a quick smirk, "Too bad, though. I really wanted to flaunt the Ring at Yami no Bakura, and the Puzzle at both of them. It would have driven them both crazy to know I got the Items just by asking for them."
Kinda makes a mockery of everything that I suffered through as a kid for the sake of that failed attempt to get my bastard father the Puzzle...
Seto raised an eyebrow at the question of dueling. That depended.... "Ryuuji...how did you acquire them?"
"And I can't believe you would openly flaunt those things in a place like this--where anyone would love to get their hands on them. Would you really stand a chance if the people in question all ganged up against you to take them?" Seto lightly scolded, now becoming concerned for Ryuuji's safety. Oddly enough, his bitterness took a backseat for a moment, unable to cling to it while thinking of what could happen if Mai or Mokuba was used against Ryuuji.
Blinking, Ryuuji responded honestly, "I was given them by the Sorceress Ultimicia or whatever, the woman who kept using 'k' instead of 'c'. And she threw in a free box that would stop them from influencing anyone for the worse, so I can keep them in the boxes while we're asleep to make sure they don't contaminate us or anything. It was her bribe, and because of finders keepers, that makes them hers and then she gave them to me, so that makes them mine."
The question about being ganged up on made him shrug, pout just a little more pronounced, "It's Yami no Bakura and Yami no Malik. They hate each other. Yami no Malik defeated Yami no Bakura, took the Ring from him, and sent him to the Shadow Realm. I really don't think those two are going to team up against me, especially since Yami no Bakura owes me one, though I guess that gratitude's a poor thing to count on where he's concerned."
"You think only those two would be interested in them?" Seto shook his head at that, but was relieved to hear there was a box to put the gaudy things in. If they were there, best they were kept out of sight, and unknown.
Logically enough, Ryuuji pointed out, "Nobody else knows how to use them, or knows their properties. For all the others know here, the Sennen Items are just very big, ugly ornaments and pieces of jewelry. Nothing special." I mean, it's not like they radiate darkness or anything. Well. Actually, if anything, they'd reek of Shadow Magic, and I don't think that anyone's going to mess with that. Sev's the only one with even an idea of how to handle that and there's no way he's at a level to effectively use an Item.
Calmer now, Seto felt the emptiness returning and shrugged. "Either way, I have no desire for any of them." And with that, he turned to leave, thinking it annoying, in its own right, that every conversation with Ryuuji was going this path of late.
But it grated on his nerves to talk to someone who thought it was okay to let his ex-best friend down just because he was "less lonely." It was the most ridiculous thing Seto had ever heard of, and reminded of him why he stopped believing in friendshiptechnically it was Gozaburo.
I don't need Items, and I don't need you. I don't need to be special to you--I don't need anything from you.
...I need a real vacation.
Peace offering rejected, then.
Shadowed green eyes watched Seto go, Ryuuji curling up again and resting his head on his knees, heedless of the Items around him. Seto was walking away from him again; he did that a lot lately. Ryuuji couldn't complain though. In his place, if he'd fallen for Seto only to have Seto be in love with someone else instead of him, he'd probably be taking it badly as well. Worse than Seto, really, since Ryuuji would be most likely trying to split Seto up with whomever Ryuuji's rival was. At least Seto didn't seem to be trying to do that.
Probably was a sign that Seto was a better person that he was.
Surprise, surprise?
Yeah, right. Everyone knew that.
So softly that he wasn't even sure that Seto would hear him, Ryuuji asked, "Where are you going?"
But of course, Seto heard him--he usually did. There was a sigh of annoyance his escape had been foiled, but Seto turned around anyway. "I don't know," he responded without considering the answer.
He had just wanted out of the room. Maybe another sorting or two. People were coming from everywhere to be sorted now. It might have been overwhelming, but Seto almost appreciated the distraction.
"Does it matter?"
I even get annoyed you want to pair me off with someone else and wouldn't be jealous if I moved on. Everything about this just annoys me. Why can't you leave me alone and let me walk away if you don't care?
Quietly, wistfully, Ryuuji met Seto's eyes somberly, curled up and small-looking in the middle of the large bed, surrounded by instruments of death and destruction, created by that which they wrought. "...I guess not. I just wanted you to stay with me."
Deja-vu, and Ryuuji barely stopped himself from asking uncertainly, 'Is that selfish?'. It was the same situation as with the tree. He'd wanted Seto to stay, and Seto had stayed. So maybe Seto would stay now? Because Ryuuji hated seeing Seto walk away from him. He hated seeing anyone walk away from him, but Seto most of all because Seto had been the first to leave him. It always made him feel like running after Seto, and catching up to him so they could walk together, but that didn't work when the reason that Seto was walking away was because he wanted to be alone. Without Ryuuji.
He couldn't follow Seto if that was what he wanted.
Suspiciously bright ocean-blue eyes had to close for a moment, then Seto just walked back and took a seat beside the bed, leaning his back against it--they way he used to do when he was chained to the bed.
He didn't feel like joining the dejected looking male in it--with or without the Items. "Fine. I'll stay."
For nothing. Nothing. Nothing. This is so stupid. I hate it. And getting upset at him is pointless. It just makes him feel horrible, and solves nothing.
Ryuuji pushed the Items aside, gold jangling harshly against gold, and then slid down the front of the bed to sit next to Seto on the floor. He didn't dare push his luck by trying to hug Seto, just assuming the same position he'd been in earlier and watching Seto sideways from under long, dark eyelashes as if trying to make sure Seto wasn't going to leave him. Hugging his legs a little closer to himself for a moment, he let go with one arm, and drew it backwards until it encountered Seto's.
A small scrap of physical comfort, not the tight, clinging hug that he wanted to give Seto, but better than nothing. Enough to let him smile at Seto, just a little. "Thank you."
Seto just shrugged at that, not even giving a "You're welcome." To him....what else could he do? It was too hard to walk away from Ryuuji, harder still when Ryuuji called him down on it, then said he wanted him to stay.
Seto hated it.
Why even want me around. Just go be with Tom already. Stop doing this.
He didn't even turn to look at Ryuuji, just stayed perfectly still, staring at the wall. Seto didn't react to the light touch of Ryuuji's arm either. If Ryuuji wanted to hug him--fine. He could. Seto didn't mind, because it was Ryuuji.
Some time passed, and Ryuuji tentatively shifted closer to Seto, much as if the other was a wild animal that would get up and bolt if Ryuuji moved too fast. He hated that; he didn't like having to be so careful around Seto. That wasn't how it should have to be. He hated being timid in general, but he wasn't being timid, was he? Just careful.
Closer, and closer he moved, until their shoulders were brushing, then he canted his head to a side for a moment, looking at Seto as if asking permission. Except Seto was looking at the wall, not him. So that was kinda pointless.
And Seto could always push him off if he wanted to, right?
Slowly, giving Seto plenty of time to stop him, Ryuuji twisted around so that he was on his side and facing Seto, then shifted forwards enough that he could let his head rest in Seto's lap, left arm wrapped around Seto's waist as if to make sure he couldn't get away. His legs were curved a little, bare toes curled tightly with the tension Ryuuji refused to allow the rest of his body show, and troubled green eyes looking up at Seto, both fearing that he'd be pushed away and waiting for it.
Feeling the weight on his lap, Seto's eyes blinked, then he looked down, catching pained emerald. He hated that too.... He didn't want to hurt Ryuuji in this, even if Ryuuji hurt him.
Another sigh.
His eyes tried to venture away, but kept returning to Ryuuji's eyes, every time. After a few failed attempts, Seto finally asked, "What?"
"I-" And the words felt like razorblades in his throat, cutting him open as he spoke, "I don't want you to leave me. Even though I deserve it. But-"
It wasn't a 'but' though, was it?
Ryuuji corrected himself, "And I miss you. When you shut off like that."
When did words get so awkward between the two of them?
That softened Seto a bit, finally, to at least be told he was missed. He wasn't trying to shut Ryuuji out on purpose, it just made things easier. It didn't hurt if you weren't there to feel it.
But...the fever Seto could feel growing might be part of it--he didn't want to admit to that though.
He settled for the ever popular, "Sorry...." unsure what else to say. "I have no plans to leave you, though. I just wanted out of the room for a while."
Reassured a little, Ryuuji moved his other arm from over his own stomach to rest on Seto's leg, fingers loosely curled over the middle of Seto's calf. A soft smile, warm and so different from his habitual bright grins, curved his lips.
Seto wasn't planning to leave him.
It was okay. They were still friends.
Seto wasn't going to leave him again.
Trying to return to something closer to their normal patterns of interaction, Ryuuji mock-chided with a light laugh, "Hey, no apologies. If I don't get to make them, neither do you."
Tone quietening again, Ryuuji told Seto softly, "I don't need them, anyway. I need you to be my friend and not close off, because that's just leaving me in a different way."
"I don't need friends," Seto said, tone hollow yet again. That just soured his mood real fast. Friends? Do you mock me?
He didn't make any physical move, at least his eyes remained on Ryuuji, studying him carefully. Even if Seto did want to shut off after hearing that, Seto still didn't want to upset Ryuuji.
Smile dying again, the troubled uncertainty touched Ryuuji's eyes once more, lurking behind the intense green of the irises. Nowhere near happy about what he was saying (but he said it anyway because the only other option was silence or lying and Ryuuji hated silence as much as Seto hated being lied to), his sliced-open throat bled dismay into his words. "I need you as my friend. But,"
And this time it was a 'but'. "If you don't want that, then I'll understand. I don't deserve you as a friend anyway."
Ryuuji's voice cracked for a moment, splinters of emotion taking away the neutrality he was aiming for, "It's just that I've missed you. Not just now, when you shut off, but all the years we were apart when we should have been together. Losing you once was bad enough, and having you physically here isn't enough if you're closed off to me."
It was becoming hard again, so Seto's eyes took pity on him and slipped shut once more. "I don't want this Ryuuji. I don't want friends, nor do I need them. I needed you, not another idiot wanting to be my friend."
Frustration started to rise, but Seto fought it back. It was better to approach this without another emotion getting in the way.
"We always seemed far closer than friends.... I want that back--not something so pathetic as friendship." His eyes reopened, ocean-blue staring at Ryuuji with turmoil lurking in blue-grey depths, and this time, one of his hands lifted. Slender fingers started to lightly run through black locks, careful not to pull the hair from Ryuuji's ponytail.
Ryuuji could see the pain in Seto's eyes; it mirrored his own. And it reminded him who was the one really suffering here. Ryuuji might be in the middle, but it was Seto that was losing out on what he wanted. It was selfish of Ryuuji to want Seto as a friend, to want Seto in his life. It would be kinder to just let him go to curl up with Mokuba and lick his wounds.
But when it came down to it, Ryuuji couldn't do that. He couldn't just let go of Seto, not when they'd been apart for so long and not after everything he'd done to the other. He couldn't let go and even as he thought it over, the arm he had around Seto's waist tightened its hold a little as Seto's fingers ran through his hair, their touch far too calming.
Dreamily, not thinking about his words the way he usually did, Ryuuji suggested, "Kindred, then? Because we were too young to be in love then, but I agree that we clicked only on the surface level. Every level underneath wove together, and every time we met thereafter, they only knitted together more tightly."
The shadows had disappeared from his eyes; in their place shone hope, bright as the glowing marble that Ryuuji still had hanging from his chain, resting against his angel as if made by its small hands.
Seto continnued to gently weave his deft fingers through the silky raven tresses, slipped through to massage the scalp everyone once in a while. It was a trick he used on himself for his migraines. Rarely it eased the actual pain, but Seto often felt calmer.
"If that's what you want...." It wasn't what Seto wanted, but he didn't want to be away from Ryuuji either. He feared being nothing to Ryuuji, of no longer being special to him.Being abandoned again, for not being what someone wanted.
"Then kindred it is."
Kindred, short for kindred souls.
A rare, sweet smile of contentment touched Ryuuji's lips, his expression unguarded for a moment in a way it usually never was. Seto's touch was so soft and gentle, and it wasn't messing up his hair either... It made Ryuuji a little drowsy, resulting in him squirming slightly slightly as his own eyes shut for a few blissful moments.
"Thank you." The words were soft but sincere, Ryuuji truly glad to still have something to tie Seto to him. Seto, the first friend he ever had. The first person ever able to understand him.
Kindred for kindred souls indeed.
The Sennen Items were completely forgotten.
Seven Items.
Seven Sennen Items.
He had all seven of the Seven Sennen Items.
All of them. All golden and shiny and powerful and still active and his.
Not anyone else's - not Yami no Malik's, not Yami no Bakura's, not the Pharaoh's, but his. And his father was dead, and his father was the one that had wanted the Puzzle originally and trained him in magic to be able to use it, and the Puzzle was empty of the spirit inside it and-
Ryuuji buried his face in a pillow and howled with laughter, shock starting to crash down on him and replace his earlier calm. The Items lay on the bed around him, the gamer sitting cross-legged with the Puzzle in his lap, the Ring around his neck, the Rod in front of him, the Torque and Key to the left of him and the Ankh and Eye to the right.
His. Ryuuji's. The one person who hadn't wanted them for their power but for someone else. The one person who wanted to get only the Puzzle to give away. The one that didn't want to rule the world or destroy it, the person with the least use for the Sennen Items.
And he had ALL of them!
Oh, this was too much. Rocking back and forth, laughing so hard that his sides ached and screamed with pain, Ryuuji stayed like that for a long, long time, unable to contain his mirth at this situation. Yami no Bakura had spent how long trying to get the Items? Three thousand years? And killed how many people and taken part in how many duels? Not to mention Yami no Malik and all the mental torture he had inflicted on people while on the path to getting the Items.
99 people had died to make the Sennen Items, the golden objects created from their flesh, blood and bone.
And they were his. Ryuuji's. And he hadn't done anything but ask for them!
It took a long, long time for him to calm down enough to send Seto an owl asking the other boy to return to his room.
Nothing like an insanely powerful magic Item as a peace offering, after all. And Seto was more trustworthy than most people. He deserved an Item with all he'd been through and it would give him an instant way to defend himself and Mokuba while he still learnt wizarding magic.
The owl said just to return--not why. Still feeling rather nonchalant, Seto simply did as the note attached to the owl requested. With a quick mention of the password, Seto was inside Ryuuji's room, eyes fairly vacant.
All he offered--voice rather hollow--was a "Yes?" to let Ryuuji know he was there. He stood beside the bed, arms crossed, eyes focused on Ryuuji, and nothing else was said.
Ryuuji had known the instant that Seto stepped into the room, wards alerting him to the other's presence. Keeping his face buried in the pillow, he made himself breathe in and out deeply, trying to calm himself down. In. Out. In. Out.
And that sent his mind into the gutter, sparking another fit of laughter.
Quelling it eventually, he threw the pillow carelessly towards the headboard of the bed, then canted his head at Seto, eyes bright with laughter, "Hey, Seto - want a Sennen Item? You can have any one that you choose."
Giving the Items a brief look of discontentment, Seto's eyes flickered back to Ryuuji as he quickly said, "No."
Those things...belong in the core of the Earth--to be melted to nothing, and gone away from here.
"Is that all you summoned me here for?" Seto asked, voice still blank. Did Ryuuji actually think he wanted one of those things?
"...I didn't summon you here, I asked you here." Ryuuji corrected automatically, the shock of Seto's response cutting cleanly through him and killing the remnants of amusement that had bubbled inside him.
Sitting up completely straight now, knees pulled against his chest and arms wrapped over them, Ryuuji stared at Seto with wide-eyed confusion. The Puzzle was a hard, sharp-edged lump pressing into his stomach and thighs, but he ignored it for the moment in favor of trying to figure out why on earth Seto would refuse to take something beneficial for him.
Except for the fact that it was Seto and Seto tended to be notoriously stupid when it came to his own health. There was always that, after all.
Giving him the benefit of the doubt, Ryuuji asked him in a tone filled with sheer disbelief, "Why don't you want one?"
"Because they should be tossed into the center of the Earth and properly disposed of, and the fact you're offering me one," Seto explained, expression never changing. Why did Ryuuji even want them? Now they were here...where Marik or Bakura could get their hands on them if Ryuuji wasn't careful.
Oh, absolutely perfect.
Yes. They should be distroyed--as soon as possible.
"I don't need one of those cursed things." Doesn't he get what they do to people? How they cause people to become greedy? How if the Item doesn't pick you, it will destroy you, even burn you alive.. Doesn't he know any of that?
"the fact you're offering me one" Seto's words stung, Ryuuji knowing full well that he deserved that but still hating it. He was trying to be nice! He was! He was offering Seto a way to defend himself, even defend himself from Ryuuji if it came to that. He was offering Seto a way to protect Mokuba.
You'd think he'd at least take one for Mokie's sake, to keep him safe.
With a laugh, trying not to sound as hurt as he felt, Ryuuji commented lightly, "Well, I suppose it's somewhat comforting to know that you wouldn't accept them from anyone else. But what do you mean, the Earth's center? That's impossible. And as for not needing one, the school is pretty full of dangerous people, most of whom are experts at some sort of magic or another. If you had a Sennen Item, you'd be able to protect yourself and Mokuba properly."
With a ragged sigh, Seto's voice switched to very firm as he said, "Ryuuji, obviously you don't know a thing about those Items. They're capable of twisting a person, completely. They still hold Zork in them. They're still dangerous, even without spirits inside of them. They are dark and twisted. I doubt I could wear one for long before I stopped caring about Mokuba anyway. They start to make you want power--at any cost."
He licked his lips, finding they burned a bit, then continued on. "And that is assuming the Item doesn't take offense at you claiming it and destroys you. They are very picky, and pratically have minds of their own. Having one to protect Mokuba--or myself with--is not worth the risk I may turn against Mokuba at any given moment. It takes someone with a completely pure mind and heart to wear one of those, and even then Mahaado had to use all of his power to hold back the evil he felt from within the Ring. Thank-you, but no thank-you."
((FUCK! *headdesk* I had Ryuuji wear the Ring and Puzzle in the sorting room.))
[[ Well, it's not like they taint you RIGHT AWAY or anything. It can be as simple as because of his ka level, they didn't take offense. But I wouldn't have someone like Ryuuji wear them for long--ever. >.> We'll end up with DARK FREAKING SCARY LORD Ryuuji otherwise. ]]
Trying to figure out how much he had told Seto as a kid, and how much Seto knew about him now, Ryuuji responded hesitantly, "...Actually, I know quite a bit about the Items. I just don't see how they can drive people to want power like that. Or where the pure heart thing comes from. I don't want to rule the world. I don't want to destroy the world. I don't want to be the most powerful person around. But if the sorceress woman is capable of giving people the Items, I'd rather be the one to have them and guard them than Yami no Malik or Yami no Bakura. I've got the least use for them, so I'm the safest person to guard them."
Head canted to a side, reaching out to run his fingers over the Rod lightly to show that it wasn't hurting him, Ryuuji pointed out, "And I already wore the Puzzle and Ring. Neither of them tried to hurt me. I'm not planning on using them tons or anything, just on making sure that nobody can use them. Except you, since I trust you, but if you're scared of them then I'll just keep all seven of them safe and only use them when I have to."
"I'm not scared of them, I just rightfully don't trust them," Seto replied, annoyance entering into his tone at that accusation. "They may have allowed you to wear them, but that makes them no less likely to twist and taint your mind. You don't need to want to rule the world, or power, Ryuuji, they will simply alter you, slowly."
Seto thought of Pegasus when he said that. Someone who had been quirky, yes, before the Eye...but after had no issue kidnapping people, blackmail and death--things Seto could never remember being tied to the calm gentleman in his younger years.
He knew the damn thing had tainted Pegasus. It was too obvious.
And Bakrua Ryou? The little annoyance. If the Ring hadn't tainted him--why did he constantly keep it with him? Why did he keep going back for it when it was tossed away?
And Malik? Best not to even start on that one.
Isis and Yuugi seemed the only two people never tainted by them, sans Pharaoh. He had been tainted, obviously.
And of course...Set. Set was a huge sore spot for Seto, so he just avoided them entirely. Perhaps Set was safe after the BEWD became his ka and he led Egypt...changed drastically, but before.... Seto didn't want to fall into traps laid by those golden instruments of death.
"Just...don't wear them for long. And don't let Yami Bakura and Yami Marik know they're here. They would do anything to get them back. Then what would happen?"
"...I start turning down offers to duel? I mean, they need to win them from me to make them work, so just stealing them wouldn't be enough." Pulling a face as he thought a little more about it, Ryuuji added reluctantly, "But I guess they could always resort to kidnapping like they did back in our world. Taking you or Mokuba or Mai or Nightwing to try to force me to accept a match."
Cue a sigh, Ryuuji pouting a little as he touched the Ring that hung around his head, lifting the cord up and letting the pointers jangle against each other as he uncurled and laid it on the Puzzle. Shifting both of the Items to the side so that they were no longer touching him, he offered Seto a quick smirk, "Too bad, though. I really wanted to flaunt the Ring at Yami no Bakura, and the Puzzle at both of them. It would have driven them both crazy to know I got the Items just by asking for them."
Kinda makes a mockery of everything that I suffered through as a kid for the sake of that failed attempt to get my bastard father the Puzzle...
Seto raised an eyebrow at the question of dueling. That depended.... "Ryuuji...how did you acquire them?"
"And I can't believe you would openly flaunt those things in a place like this--where anyone would love to get their hands on them. Would you really stand a chance if the people in question all ganged up against you to take them?" Seto lightly scolded, now becoming concerned for Ryuuji's safety. Oddly enough, his bitterness took a backseat for a moment, unable to cling to it while thinking of what could happen if Mai or Mokuba was used against Ryuuji.
Blinking, Ryuuji responded honestly, "I was given them by the Sorceress Ultimicia or whatever, the woman who kept using 'k' instead of 'c'. And she threw in a free box that would stop them from influencing anyone for the worse, so I can keep them in the boxes while we're asleep to make sure they don't contaminate us or anything. It was her bribe, and because of finders keepers, that makes them hers and then she gave them to me, so that makes them mine."
The question about being ganged up on made him shrug, pout just a little more pronounced, "It's Yami no Bakura and Yami no Malik. They hate each other. Yami no Malik defeated Yami no Bakura, took the Ring from him, and sent him to the Shadow Realm. I really don't think those two are going to team up against me, especially since Yami no Bakura owes me one, though I guess that gratitude's a poor thing to count on where he's concerned."
"You think only those two would be interested in them?" Seto shook his head at that, but was relieved to hear there was a box to put the gaudy things in. If they were there, best they were kept out of sight, and unknown.
Logically enough, Ryuuji pointed out, "Nobody else knows how to use them, or knows their properties. For all the others know here, the Sennen Items are just very big, ugly ornaments and pieces of jewelry. Nothing special." I mean, it's not like they radiate darkness or anything. Well. Actually, if anything, they'd reek of Shadow Magic, and I don't think that anyone's going to mess with that. Sev's the only one with even an idea of how to handle that and there's no way he's at a level to effectively use an Item.
Calmer now, Seto felt the emptiness returning and shrugged. "Either way, I have no desire for any of them." And with that, he turned to leave, thinking it annoying, in its own right, that every conversation with Ryuuji was going this path of late.
But it grated on his nerves to talk to someone who thought it was okay to let his ex-best friend down just because he was "less lonely." It was the most ridiculous thing Seto had ever heard of, and reminded of him why he stopped believing in friendship
I don't need Items, and I don't need you. I don't need to be special to you--I don't need anything from you.
...I need a real vacation.
Peace offering rejected, then.
Shadowed green eyes watched Seto go, Ryuuji curling up again and resting his head on his knees, heedless of the Items around him. Seto was walking away from him again; he did that a lot lately. Ryuuji couldn't complain though. In his place, if he'd fallen for Seto only to have Seto be in love with someone else instead of him, he'd probably be taking it badly as well. Worse than Seto, really, since Ryuuji would be most likely trying to split Seto up with whomever Ryuuji's rival was. At least Seto didn't seem to be trying to do that.
Probably was a sign that Seto was a better person that he was.
Surprise, surprise?
Yeah, right. Everyone knew that.
So softly that he wasn't even sure that Seto would hear him, Ryuuji asked, "Where are you going?"
But of course, Seto heard him--he usually did. There was a sigh of annoyance his escape had been foiled, but Seto turned around anyway. "I don't know," he responded without considering the answer.
He had just wanted out of the room. Maybe another sorting or two. People were coming from everywhere to be sorted now. It might have been overwhelming, but Seto almost appreciated the distraction.
"Does it matter?"
I even get annoyed you want to pair me off with someone else and wouldn't be jealous if I moved on. Everything about this just annoys me. Why can't you leave me alone and let me walk away if you don't care?
Quietly, wistfully, Ryuuji met Seto's eyes somberly, curled up and small-looking in the middle of the large bed, surrounded by instruments of death and destruction, created by that which they wrought. "...I guess not. I just wanted you to stay with me."
Deja-vu, and Ryuuji barely stopped himself from asking uncertainly, 'Is that selfish?'. It was the same situation as with the tree. He'd wanted Seto to stay, and Seto had stayed. So maybe Seto would stay now? Because Ryuuji hated seeing Seto walk away from him. He hated seeing anyone walk away from him, but Seto most of all because Seto had been the first to leave him. It always made him feel like running after Seto, and catching up to him so they could walk together, but that didn't work when the reason that Seto was walking away was because he wanted to be alone. Without Ryuuji.
He couldn't follow Seto if that was what he wanted.
Suspiciously bright ocean-blue eyes had to close for a moment, then Seto just walked back and took a seat beside the bed, leaning his back against it--they way he used to do when he was chained to the bed.
He didn't feel like joining the dejected looking male in it--with or without the Items. "Fine. I'll stay."
For nothing. Nothing. Nothing. This is so stupid. I hate it. And getting upset at him is pointless. It just makes him feel horrible, and solves nothing.
Ryuuji pushed the Items aside, gold jangling harshly against gold, and then slid down the front of the bed to sit next to Seto on the floor. He didn't dare push his luck by trying to hug Seto, just assuming the same position he'd been in earlier and watching Seto sideways from under long, dark eyelashes as if trying to make sure Seto wasn't going to leave him. Hugging his legs a little closer to himself for a moment, he let go with one arm, and drew it backwards until it encountered Seto's.
A small scrap of physical comfort, not the tight, clinging hug that he wanted to give Seto, but better than nothing. Enough to let him smile at Seto, just a little. "Thank you."
Seto just shrugged at that, not even giving a "You're welcome." To him....what else could he do? It was too hard to walk away from Ryuuji, harder still when Ryuuji called him down on it, then said he wanted him to stay.
Seto hated it.
Why even want me around. Just go be with Tom already. Stop doing this.
He didn't even turn to look at Ryuuji, just stayed perfectly still, staring at the wall. Seto didn't react to the light touch of Ryuuji's arm either. If Ryuuji wanted to hug him--fine. He could. Seto didn't mind, because it was Ryuuji.
Some time passed, and Ryuuji tentatively shifted closer to Seto, much as if the other was a wild animal that would get up and bolt if Ryuuji moved too fast. He hated that; he didn't like having to be so careful around Seto. That wasn't how it should have to be. He hated being timid in general, but he wasn't being timid, was he? Just careful.
Closer, and closer he moved, until their shoulders were brushing, then he canted his head to a side for a moment, looking at Seto as if asking permission. Except Seto was looking at the wall, not him. So that was kinda pointless.
And Seto could always push him off if he wanted to, right?
Slowly, giving Seto plenty of time to stop him, Ryuuji twisted around so that he was on his side and facing Seto, then shifted forwards enough that he could let his head rest in Seto's lap, left arm wrapped around Seto's waist as if to make sure he couldn't get away. His legs were curved a little, bare toes curled tightly with the tension Ryuuji refused to allow the rest of his body show, and troubled green eyes looking up at Seto, both fearing that he'd be pushed away and waiting for it.
Feeling the weight on his lap, Seto's eyes blinked, then he looked down, catching pained emerald. He hated that too.... He didn't want to hurt Ryuuji in this, even if Ryuuji hurt him.
Another sigh.
His eyes tried to venture away, but kept returning to Ryuuji's eyes, every time. After a few failed attempts, Seto finally asked, "What?"
"I-" And the words felt like razorblades in his throat, cutting him open as he spoke, "I don't want you to leave me. Even though I deserve it. But-"
It wasn't a 'but' though, was it?
Ryuuji corrected himself, "And I miss you. When you shut off like that."
When did words get so awkward between the two of them?
That softened Seto a bit, finally, to at least be told he was missed. He wasn't trying to shut Ryuuji out on purpose, it just made things easier. It didn't hurt if you weren't there to feel it.
But...the fever Seto could feel growing might be part of it--he didn't want to admit to that though.
He settled for the ever popular, "Sorry...." unsure what else to say. "I have no plans to leave you, though. I just wanted out of the room for a while."
Reassured a little, Ryuuji moved his other arm from over his own stomach to rest on Seto's leg, fingers loosely curled over the middle of Seto's calf. A soft smile, warm and so different from his habitual bright grins, curved his lips.
Seto wasn't planning to leave him.
It was okay. They were still friends.
Seto wasn't going to leave him again.
Trying to return to something closer to their normal patterns of interaction, Ryuuji mock-chided with a light laugh, "Hey, no apologies. If I don't get to make them, neither do you."
Tone quietening again, Ryuuji told Seto softly, "I don't need them, anyway. I need you to be my friend and not close off, because that's just leaving me in a different way."
"I don't need friends," Seto said, tone hollow yet again. That just soured his mood real fast. Friends? Do you mock me?
He didn't make any physical move, at least his eyes remained on Ryuuji, studying him carefully. Even if Seto did want to shut off after hearing that, Seto still didn't want to upset Ryuuji.
Smile dying again, the troubled uncertainty touched Ryuuji's eyes once more, lurking behind the intense green of the irises. Nowhere near happy about what he was saying (but he said it anyway because the only other option was silence or lying and Ryuuji hated silence as much as Seto hated being lied to), his sliced-open throat bled dismay into his words. "I need you as my friend. But,"
And this time it was a 'but'. "If you don't want that, then I'll understand. I don't deserve you as a friend anyway."
Ryuuji's voice cracked for a moment, splinters of emotion taking away the neutrality he was aiming for, "It's just that I've missed you. Not just now, when you shut off, but all the years we were apart when we should have been together. Losing you once was bad enough, and having you physically here isn't enough if you're closed off to me."
It was becoming hard again, so Seto's eyes took pity on him and slipped shut once more. "I don't want this Ryuuji. I don't want friends, nor do I need them. I needed you, not another idiot wanting to be my friend."
Frustration started to rise, but Seto fought it back. It was better to approach this without another emotion getting in the way.
"We always seemed far closer than friends.... I want that back--not something so pathetic as friendship." His eyes reopened, ocean-blue staring at Ryuuji with turmoil lurking in blue-grey depths, and this time, one of his hands lifted. Slender fingers started to lightly run through black locks, careful not to pull the hair from Ryuuji's ponytail.
Ryuuji could see the pain in Seto's eyes; it mirrored his own. And it reminded him who was the one really suffering here. Ryuuji might be in the middle, but it was Seto that was losing out on what he wanted. It was selfish of Ryuuji to want Seto as a friend, to want Seto in his life. It would be kinder to just let him go to curl up with Mokuba and lick his wounds.
But when it came down to it, Ryuuji couldn't do that. He couldn't just let go of Seto, not when they'd been apart for so long and not after everything he'd done to the other. He couldn't let go and even as he thought it over, the arm he had around Seto's waist tightened its hold a little as Seto's fingers ran through his hair, their touch far too calming.
Dreamily, not thinking about his words the way he usually did, Ryuuji suggested, "Kindred, then? Because we were too young to be in love then, but I agree that we clicked only on the surface level. Every level underneath wove together, and every time we met thereafter, they only knitted together more tightly."
The shadows had disappeared from his eyes; in their place shone hope, bright as the glowing marble that Ryuuji still had hanging from his chain, resting against his angel as if made by its small hands.
Seto continnued to gently weave his deft fingers through the silky raven tresses, slipped through to massage the scalp everyone once in a while. It was a trick he used on himself for his migraines. Rarely it eased the actual pain, but Seto often felt calmer.
"If that's what you want...." It wasn't what Seto wanted, but he didn't want to be away from Ryuuji either. He feared being nothing to Ryuuji, of no longer being special to him.
"Then kindred it is."
Kindred, short for kindred souls.
A rare, sweet smile of contentment touched Ryuuji's lips, his expression unguarded for a moment in a way it usually never was. Seto's touch was so soft and gentle, and it wasn't messing up his hair either... It made Ryuuji a little drowsy, resulting in him squirming slightly slightly as his own eyes shut for a few blissful moments.
"Thank you." The words were soft but sincere, Ryuuji truly glad to still have something to tie Seto to him. Seto, the first friend he ever had. The first person ever able to understand him.
Kindred for kindred souls indeed.
The Sennen Items were completely forgotten.
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no subject
Date: 2006-02-09 07:21 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-09 07:33 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-09 07:36 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-02-09 07:34 am (UTC)"...I start turning down offers to duel? I mean, they need to win them from me to make them work, so just stealing them wouldn't be enough."
Aww. At least Bakura can keep in mind that since Ryuuji didn't win them, he can't use them either; especially since Ryuuji wasn't one of the 'Chosen' to use them.
And all of the Items aren't ugly :P
no subject
Date: 2006-02-09 07:49 am (UTC)And heeeey, Ryuuji was given them. XD Don't Items still work if you just hand them over? Not that he'd have any use for them, of course, except maybe seeing who's thinking naughty thoughts about him.))
OOC about the RP
Date: 2006-02-09 08:10 am (UTC)xDDD *snickers* You do realize "naughty thoughts" puts my mind in the gutter, correct?
Anywho, I don't think so - not unless they were the ones that are supposed to use them - or the Items will just... destroy the person; slowly or not. *shudders* Not pleasant. Luckily, I think Ryuuji would have a bit of an advantage to the fact that he knows a lot about the Items in a sense that he might be able to keep them from doing that as quickly as they would to someone not allowed to touch the Items.
I would think that they would probably not be able to be used unless he challenges someone to win them? Then be able to use them...? Though, no guarantee that they'd work with him for long since he's not one of the Chosen to keep it.
I'm trying to remember if it was mentioned anywhere about them being handed over and/or used from someone that wasn't meant to have them. Like, Rishid I don't think he could use the Rod even temporarily if Malik gave it to him. I'm not positive on that, though. Especially since the Item chose Malik/Marik and not Rishid. X_X
*cough* Warning for Ryuuji, though. The Items do use the darkness in you and use that to taint you, like Seto mentioned; Ryuuji better be careful with what he thinks and does. Little prankster in him could get him into trouble with the darkness in the Items. :P Remember Pegasus, Ryuuji xP))
Re: OOC about the RP
Date: 2006-02-09 08:27 am (UTC)They should remain dangerous for Ryuuji to use for longer periods of time, end of story. That keeps him from having seven very dangerous and powerful items on hand that could cause him to simply be over-powered in a place that should be *FUN*.
By the way, anyone want to kill Seto? You are more than welcome to it, as long as he gets to throw acid at you first. Shame not to use that bribe.... ]]
Re: OOC about the RP
Date: 2006-02-09 08:43 am (UTC)Of course they should be dangerous for Ryuuji over a period of time, just may not be right away since he has some knowledge and such over them. No idea, I guess.
And yes, this place should be fun. So hence why I'm bringing up the point of the Items so that there is knowledge on how they are/aren't used and work - without something being changed or brought up later, no?
I just wanted it to be cleared up for confusion amongst myself or anyone else. Not... trouble.
Oooh acid throwing? Sounds like fun. Sure. You want it, you got it.))
Re: OOC about the RP
Date: 2006-02-09 10:34 am (UTC)